Wasted Time
by AnnabethLeMorte
Summary: This is what happens when distraction overwhelms and denial no longer provides you with the solace it once did. **First in the "Gunny and the Goth" series**
1. Distraction

**Wasted Time**

by Annabeth LeMorte

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Distraction**

The feel of those fingertips at the small of her back keep breaking into her train of thought, their warmth seeping through the thin material of her t-shirt. It keeps distracting her away from the task at hand, making her think of activities she'd rather be doing instead of relaying evidence results. Twice already she's had to stop talking and press her lips together, just to keep from making a sound. She takes another deep breath, hoping to refocus her thoughts before continuing her explanation. Her words stick in her throat as his thumb slides under the hem of her t-shirt and comes to rest on bare skin. Purely against her will, both eyelids flutter shut and Abby's breath escapes in a sigh.

"You ok? You seem...distracted," he asks quietly, lips dangerously close to her ear. She squeezes her eyes shut, trying desperately to block out the images that flood her mind at the feel of his warm breath caressing the side of her neck. Her dismay skyrockets as she realizes that he's managed to press the entire length of his chest against her right arm. Desperately she clutches at the desktop computer control and clicks the results up onto the plasma TV mounted on the lab wall, hoping to distract him away from her side. Imagine her surprise when it only causes him to lean in further. "I asked you a question, Abs. Are…you…ok?"

_No, I'm not ok. You've been hovering over me all morning, invading my personal space, literally breathing down my neck AND you keep touching me! How am I supposed to get any work done when you keep touching me?!_

All this passes through her mind in the split second it takes her to spin around and face him. "Gibbs, you've been coming down here all day, pestering me incessantly, annoying me beyond belief and now that I have the results, you're not even paying attention!" Her words come out in a rush, leaving her out of breath as she peers up at him through her lashes. She watches as his eyebrows rise in surprise then quickly lower into a frown, his lips parting slightly at her reaction. Abby is immediately ashamed she snapped at him. It isn't his fault she was so distracted. Well it was, but it not like he's doing it on purpose. It takes her a second before she realizes that her eyes are still focused on Gibbs' lips.

_Oh God, his lips…I bet they're soft and he's probably a really good kisser. That's probably not all he's…STOP IT! Concentrate, Abby! Do your job. Give him his results and maybe, just maybe, he'll leave your lab so you can get back to work._

Intent on following her own advice, she focuses on composing herself before giving him a small smile. "I'm fine, Gibbs. I've been a little off my game today, but I'll be fine. No need to worry about me." Turning back to her computer screen, she motions towards the wall mounted plasma and attempts to continue. "So, back to the results. The prints you guys got off the glass and inner doorjamb match those on the mur-" the rest of her words die unspoken as Gibbs slowly turns her around to face him. Cupping her face between both of his hands, he peers down at her, his expression one of genuine concern.

"Abby, tell me what's wrong. If you're feeling sick, all you have to do is say something and you can head home. Your health comes first. I can always have one of reserve lab techs come in."

"Gibbs, NO! I'm not letting someone else in here to fiddle with my babies. I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine. Whatever is bothering me will just have to wait. I'm not comfortable discussing it with you so I'd appreciate it if you just dropped it. Ok? Now, do you want to know what I have, or not?" Abby can't believe herself. For all intent and purposes, Gibbs is her boss and she's lashed out at him, unprovoked. Pressing her lips together, she takes several deep breaths in an attempt to calm her frazzled nerves, hoping he'll finally take the hint. A few seconds of silence and finally, she gets the words she's been waiting for.

"What do you have for me, Abs?"

Abby gives him a small smile and turns back towards her computer screen. Ten minutes later, she's relayed her results and Gibbs is headed out of her lab. Abby walks to her desk and plopps down unceremoniously into her chair, the momentum causing it to spin slightly. A small smile on her lips, she sighs and finally feels her body begin to relax.


	2. Denial

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Denial**

Gibbs steps into the elevator and reluctantly presses the button that will take him back to the main floor and his desk. Leaning his shoulders against the rear wall, he sighs tiredly, his thoughts drifting back to Abby. It bothers him that she felt she couldn't talk to him. What had she said? Ah yes, now he remembered. _I'm not comfortable discussing it with you._ What the hell did that mean? She's always talked to him, always come to him when she has a problem, well…not always, but that isn't the point. Gibbs curses the investigator in him; he won't let him drop it. His mind is extrapolating theories as he watches the floor indicator lights above the elevator doors. Gibbs sighs again as the doors begin to open, allowing someone on. His return to the bullpen delayed, he lets his mind wander back to Abby.

_I wonder what she doesn't want me to know. What could be so important that she rushed me out of there without an explanation? If she was having trouble with a co-worker she would've definitely told me, so that's not it. I hope it's not another ex-boyfriend, or a current boyfriend…does she even have a current boyfriend?_

Gibbs closes his eyes as he leans his head back, trying to ignore the sound of the three giggling women in the elevator with him. It seems the blonde is headed for a weekend away with her fiancé and the two brunettes are guessing how the couple will probably spend their time. He smirks when the shorter brunette suggests to the bride-to-be that she should take her handcuffs with her on the weekend away. Gibbs almost chuckles aloud when the taller brunette interjects with, _'don't forget the key,'_ as the trio exits the elevator on the next floor, leaving Gibbs alone with his thoughts once more.

_I wonder what Abby would look like handcuffed to my bed, wearing only her choker and pigtails_? Gibbs' eyes snap open._ What the…?! Where the hell did that come from?! _

Gibbs stands up straight, shaking himself slightly and brings his hands up to rub at his eyes roughly. He _must_ be more tired than he realizes if he's having those kinds of thoughts about Abby. Unbidden, his traitorous mind drifts back towards that particular train of thought.

I _wonder what Abby would do? If she knew that I was imagining her handcuffed to my bed, my index fingers hooking onto the waistband of her painfully short skirt as I slowly ease it over her hips, the backs of my fingertips trailing back up her legs once the skirt is removed, until my hands stop to encompass her small waist. Would you tell me to stop, Abby? Or would you beg me to continue, beg me to take you to the highest peaks only to let you float down on the softest of clouds? DAMMIT! What is wrong with me?! That's Abby you're having sexual thoughts about, Jethro!_

Gibbs looks up as the elevator doors open on his floor. He forces himself back to earth as he makes his way to his desk. Once there, he grabs the closest file and attempts to get to work. Every few minutes, his mind drifts back to the image of a half naked Abby handcuffed to his bed. Finally, he gives up trying to read the file and pushes away from his desk. He takes a deep breath, letting his head drop onto the back of his chair as he closes his eyes. Gibbs releases the breath in what he thinks is a silent sigh. Tony raises an eyebrow at McGee and jerks his head towards Gibbs as he mouths _'what's with him?'_ McGee shrugs and turns back to whatever computer search he's running. An oblivious Gibbs reaches up with his right hand and squeezes the bridge of his nose, hoping to stave off the headache he can feel building in response to the thoughts churning through his mind.

_Do I really see her that way? I couldn't possibly. I've always seen her as a daughter. Haven't I? I mean, sure I give her little kisses on the cheek and forehead…but that's only as a thank you for a job well done. Isn't it? Sure I give her hugs, but that's only because she's a very touchy-feely person and she's like that with everyone. I'd feel like an ass if she went to hug me and I stopped her. I can almost see the hurt in her eyes. I can imagine her disappointment if I stopped bringing Caf-Pows each time I visited her lab. These thoughts are simply a result of the conversation between the giggling female agents in the elevator. I couldn't possibly feel that way about Abby. Could I?_

Gibbs swallows tightly as he remembers catching sight of the skin above the waistband of her miniscule skirt. He'd been mesmerized by the contrast between the paleness of her skin and the darkness of the tattoo. If he remembers correctly, he'd accidentally brushed his thumb along that naked expanse of skin.

_Accidentally brushed her skin with your thumb? At least be honest with __**yourself**__, Jethro, you did it on purpose. For the same reason you leaned in close to whisper in her ear when you asked if she was ok. You don't see Abby as a daughter, not now…maybe not ever._


	3. Frustration

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Frustration**

Abby sighs as the computer gives her yet another negative result. She takes a step back from the counter to stretch her arms over her head, hoping to get the kinks out of her neck and shoulders. The whole day has been one disappointment after another, evidence-wise. The only positive hits she's gotten so far are from the fingerprints found on the doorjamb and glass and those found on the murder weapon. Unfortunately, the prints hadn't matched any of the suspects or anything in AFIS, but when Gibbs' team brought her exemplars she'll be able to match them without issue. Abby has finished processing every bit of evidence she'd been brought and now all she can do was wait. This was the part she despises; it makes her feel useless, but there isn't anything she can do about it. Sighing, Abby rotates her neck in a slow circle and wanders over to her desk to sit down. Cupping her chin in her hand, she gazes at the time on her computer screen.

_4:30 - I suppose I could check my email and then head out. There's no reason for me to hang around if I have nothing to do. I could go home and… hmmm, do what? Catch a movie? Tony and Ziva are probably stuck here until much later and going to the movies solo isn't nearly as much fun as going with friends. _

Abby hums softly under her breath as she logs onto the computer, her black lacquered fingertips almost soundless on the keyboard. Her right hand moves the mouse and she sifts through her work emails one by one, deleting them as she finishes reading them. Less than ten minutes later, the final one has her scowling. Apparently Human Resources will be hosting yet another "team building" seminar day on Monday. Abby reads the email softly under her breath, the words _'mandatory'_ and _'punitive'_ screaming for attention with their bold, underlined font. She curses softly when she notes that directly under the available times for Monday's class are the available make-up days for those employees who are "unable to attend due to unforeseen reasons."

_Damn…they've caught on to our tricks. Now not only can we not ditch the class, but we get punished for it. And would ya look at that, they're kind enough to provide us with make-up days just in case we miss it! Well at least it's only an hour long this time and not four hours like the sexual harassment ones. Wonder what Gibbs'll say when he reads the email…_

Abby sighs as her thoughts drift back to the one person she's been trying to avoid all day. After her outburst, he'd pretty much stayed out of her lab, but not her thoughts. She'd kept thinking of the surprised look on his face after she'd snapped at him for not listening. When Abby thought back to how close she'd come to kissing him when he had cupped her face in his calloused hands, she's beyond mortified. It would have only taken a small step to bridge the gap between them, but that small step would have had enormous consequences. It would have broken the Almighty Rule #12. _'Romance between agents never works,'_ she can almost hear his voice saying.

_You're not ready to cross that line, Scuito…maybe you never will be. Just think how embarrassed you'd feel if you kissed him and he didn't kiss you back…worse yet, what if he pulled back? You'll just have to be content to let your mind play out things that could never happen in real life. Did you really think that one day he'd come into your lab, drag you into the only corner of your office the security cameras can't see, press you up against the wall and have his way with you? Oh God…yes, please! _

Abby presses her thighs together at the sudden heat between her legs, a small whimper escaping her dark lips. She needs to get home and quick, if this is where her thoughts were heading. Once her brain starts fantasizing, her hands tend to drift to places she really shouldn't be touching at work. She blushes as she remembers how hot and bothered she'd gotten when she'd seen Gibbs in full uniform the time he'd gone undercover as a recruiter.

_I remember the feeling of panic as I realized how hard my nipples were under my t-shirt after seeing him in the bullpen. I still can't believe I masturbated at work! That's the only way I was able to concentrate while Kate and Gibbs were in the recruiting office. Yeah and don't forget what you did when you got home later…for what seemed like hours. All right, that's enough, Abigail! Go home and relieve some stress!_

Abby spins idly in the desk chair as she waits for the computer to power down. After reaching to shut off the monitor, she starts the nightly routine of crooning her 'babies' to sleep. Once she's circled the perimeter of her lab and was sure that each and every piece of equipment was off, she wanders over to hang up her lab coat and grab her bag. "I'll see you pretties on Monday," she calls out on the way to the elevator. Her toes tap impatiently as she waits for the doors to open. Abby starts singing softly under her breath. Imagine her surprise when the doors open to reveal the object of her fantasies staring back at her.


	4. Nervousness

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Nervousness**

Gibbs' eyes widen slightly when the elevator doors open to reveal Abby standing there. He hadn't expected that; he figured she'd be busy processing evidence, giving him some time to watch her unnoticed from the lab's doorway. The entire day had passed in a blur. He'd been too distracted trying to work out his feelings for Abby that he couldn't remember most of what he'd done. Several times throughout the day, he'd started towards the bank of elevators only to change his mind. Once or twice, his fingers had actually pressed the elevator's call button, only to change his mind and walk back to his desk before the doors opened.

Unbeknownst to him, his peculiar actions had not gone unnoticed by the other members of his team. Tony had been pestering McGee incessantly the entire day, trying to get the younger agent to approach Gibbs about it. Ziva had tried to engage Gibbs in conversation for most of the day, and had finally given up after being asked "is there a reason you keep annoying me Officer Da-veed?" She, as well everyone else, knew that the lead agent only stressed the syllables of her name when he was upset about something. Sufficed to say, the three agents had been surprised when Gibbs told them to clear out and go home. Not wanting him to change his mind, the three of them had hurriedly gathered their belongings and raced each other to the elevator and freedom. Ten minutes later and he was finally riding down to visit the object of his thoughts. He'd finally convinced himself to stop avoiding her, mentally chiding himself for his cowardice.

_Think of this as a mission, Gunny. You need to get in there and face the object of your frustration. Wait…frustration? Abby doesn't frustrate me. Alright, if I'm honest with myself then yes, she does frustrate me on occasion, especially when she strings me along on one of her pre-reveal rants. She knows I hate it when she forces me to wait for results. And yet, she insists on her useless prattle. If I didn't know better, I'd say she does it on purpose; she's constantly pushing my patience to the limit and I love it. The devilish glint in her eyes as she stares at me defiantly, it makes my day; I adore how she doesn't back down from my threats._

"Headed home, Abby?" he asks softly, her entrance into the elevator pulling him from his thoughts. Gibbs side steps to his left and turns to look at her, his gaze taking in the nervous tremble of her fingers as they adjust the bag on her shoulder. The slight incline of her head is the only indication that she heard his question. He tilts his head, eyes narrowing slightly; providing he wasn't mistaken, she seemed…nervous? His curiosity piqued, he pushes his thoughts to the back of mind. "You have any plans for tonight?" Mentally scolding himself, Gibbs takes a nerve-soothing sip from the coffee cup in his hand.

_Of course she has plans tonight, you idiot! She's an attractive young woman and it's Friday night. There's probably some virile man looking forward to tonight's date with her. You can be such an imbecile when it comes to women, just ask your ex-wives. It's taken you __**this**__ long to recognize how lucky you are to have Abigail Scuito in your life and you've had her in front of you for years. Anyone else would have taken advantage of that fact long before now. That's just it-_

"Not really…" comes her quiet reply, effectively pulling him out of his reverie, "…you?" A small smirk graces her lips as she teasingly continues, "I mean, besides working on that boat of yours." The corner of his mouth quirks up in a grin against his will and he instantly relaxes; if she's teasing him, it means she didn't notice how he's staring at her. Now that he is being honest with himself, Gibbs has noticed that he's been doing a lot of that lately: staring. It's like he's mentally cataloging his favorite traits, quirks, eccentricities and smiles. Does she realize that she has a myriad of smiles? At the expectant look on her face, he chuckles softly and fights to ignore the blush creeping up his neck and face. Only Abby can do this to him: make him feel like an inexperienced teenager with his first crush.

"Well now…if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound jealous, Abs." As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he regrets them. What in the world had possessed him to say that? Embarrassed, he turns to face the doors of the elevator, willing them to open so he can escape to his car. He is rewarded when 5 seconds later the doors open and he hurriedly steps out into the darkened interior of the parking garage. The slender hand gripping his bicep hampers his hasty retreat. Reluctantly he turns back towards Abby, his gaze on the pipes in the ceiling above her head.

"Gibbs!" Her exclamation brings his gaze down to meet hers, "oh my goodness…I was right!" At his questioning look, she continues, "you're blushing!" Her mouth is hanging open, a small smile lifting the corners slightly. Her small hand hesitantly lifts to trace along his cheek, causing Gibbs to clench his jaw to keep from closing his eyes and leaning into it. He's never realized just how much her touch affects him, until this moment. He is determined to hide his discomfort from her; a resolution decided upon right this very second.

"I…am…not…blushing, Abby," he grumbles unhappily, "Marines don't blush." A scowl on his lips, he tries to intimidate her by leaning his upper body over her slender frame. Her eyes widen slightly at his closeness, a worried expression descending onto her features almost instantly. Immediately ashamed at his pitiful attempt to salvage his pride, he sighs and steps back from her. Allowing himself a moment of weakness, he leans down and kisses her cheek, his right hand reaching up to grip the end of one of her pigtails. "At least that's what I keep telling myself," he whispers in her ear. With that, he tugs gently on her pigtail and quickly turns to walk to his car. He never notices the stunned look on Abby's face as he pulls out of his parking space and drives off.


	5. Indulgence

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Indulgence**

Abby pushes open her front door and steps through into her dimly lit apartment. "Honey, I'm home!" Her lips purse and she blows a noisy raspberry at the silence that greets her. "Oh yeah…that's right…I live alone," she mutters under her breath. Letting her bag drop by the door, she reaches up and removes the rubber bands from her hair as she walks down the hall towards her bedroom. Fluffing her hands through her hair while she lowers onto the edge of the bed, Abby bends to unzip her boots, tossing them aside absently. With a resigned sigh, she lies back and contemplates her conversation with Gibbs. She still can't believe she made him blush. The more Abby thought about it, the more confused she became.

_I've never seen him that…un-Gibbs-like. First, the look of surprise when he noticed I was waiting for the elevator; second, I would bet money that he was staring at me on the ride up to the parking garage. Then when I teased him about the boat, he started blushing. _

She smiles as she remembers how cute he'd looked trying to hide it. Abby still can't believe he'd teasingly accused her of being jealous of his boat. She'll never admit it, but it was true. Heaving a sigh, she sits up and heads to the bathroom, stripping off the remainder of her clothes along the way. Minutes later she is facing the full-length mirror mounted on the door, her shower completely forgotten. Abby gazes appraisingly at her naked body, taking in the sight of her pale frame with a critical eye.

_I wonder what Gibbs would say if he saw me naked? Would he think my boobs are too small? _Abby's hands move from where they were hanging at her sides to reach up and cup her breasts, fingertips spread slightly to allow the color of her nipples to peek through. Not surprisingly, she feels them start to tighten and her teeth worry her bottom lip in response.

_Would he think I was too skinny? _ Her hands slide from where they are cupping her sensitized breasts to wrap around her waist. Turning so she can see her profile in the mirror, she pats her flat stomach and smiles.

_Would he think my ass is too small? _Another quarter turn and she's gazing at her reflection from over her right shoulder. A mischievous glint in her eye, her hands slide from her waist to grip her ass, her fingertips squeezing roughly.

_Would he think that my legs aren't long enough? _Feeling decidedly wicked; she bends at the waist and grabs hold of both ankles, gazing at her reflection from between her legs.

_I'm sure I could convince him my body was __**his**__ ideal. _Slowly trailing her hands up from her ankles as she stands up, Abby slides them between her legs. The light ghosting touch over her clit causes an involuntary gasp to escape her.

A smile curves her lips as she wanders back to her bed with an extra sway in her hips, picking up her cell phone along the way. In an utterly brazen move, she presses the speed dial for Gibbs' cell, fully intending to masturbate to the sound of his voice during 'tedious and inane' conversation. Frowning slightly when he doesn't answer, Abby flips the cell shut and sets it down on her dresser. Grabbing her MP3 player from the nightstand, she slides the earpieces into place and selects a play-list. The feel of the silk sheets on her naked body is intoxicating as she crawls back onto her bed. She lies there quietly for a few minutes, letting the music sink into her before she starts trailing her fingertips over her skin.

After what seems like an eternity, she allows her fingers to pinch her nipples forcefully, causing her back to arch off the bed. She allows the fingers of her right hand to dip between her legs and is not surprised when she feels exactly how wet she is. Gibbs always makes her masturbatory escapades exceedingly hot. With a slight moan, Abby slides two fingers into her silken warmth and works them in and out slowly; the pressure from the heel of her hand on her clit causing her to whimper softly. Evidently the events of the day had affected her more than she originally thought because she can already feel the tightening of her inner muscles as she nears her orgasm.

Her whimpers increase in frequency as her fingers speed up, causing her to dig her heels into the mattress. Abby's hips thrust against her hand of their own accord, pushing her ever closer to her desperately needed release. A fine trembling has begun in her thighs and she increases the intensity of her ministrations in response. Just as she was about to sit up to get better leverage, her legs squeeze shut and she rocks back as her inner walls clench tight around her fingers. Taking her by surprise, the toe-curling orgasm pulls a hoarse cry from her throat and knocks the MP3 player off the bed, taking the earpieces with it.

Her head turns at the sound of the phone ringing and she languidly reaches for the cordless on the nightstand. Rolling onto her stomach, a thoroughly satisfied Abby presses the talk button without checking the Caller ID. "Abby's House of Pain," she throatily murmurs into the handset and is shocked when the caller utters one word.

"_Abs?" _The sound of Gibbs' voice sobers her somewhat.

"Yes, Gibbs…" she answers meekly, cheeks flaming.

"_First of all, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just answer your phone like that." _Pressing her face into the pillow to muffle a groan, Abby struggles to regain her composure. _"Second of all, I've been calling you for the last 15 minutes." _Rolling over onto her back, she sits up quickly when she hears his next words, _"now are you going to make me wait downstairs all night or are you going to buzz me up, Abigail?"_

Hesitantly she presses the button that will allow him access to the apartment complex as she makes her way to the front door, stopping briefly to slip into her silk kimono. Tightening the sash around her waist, she chews on her bottom lip. She pushes up onto tiptoes to look through the peephole. Sure enough, within seconds Gibbs appears in the hallway directly in front of her door. Suppressing a small groan, she reaches up and unlocks the deadbolt. Abby takes a deep breath and pastes a smile on her face as she pulls open the door.


	6. Panic

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Panic**

Gibbs must have driven home from work in a near daze because he's slightly alarmed by the fact that he is currently sitting in his driveway. It's no surprise then, when some ten minutes later, he needs to head back outside to retrieve the forgotten cell phone from its place in his car's console. Squinting at the screen, he notices a missed call from Abby. Gibbs promptly calls her back with an unnaturally open, relaxed smile on his face. When she doesn't immediately answer his call he isn't too concerned.

_She probably left her cell phone in her bag and she can't hear it, that's all. You have her home number somewhere Jethro…think…where is it? It has to be in the kitchen drawer, you put everything in there. _

Gibbs rummages through the drawers in the kitchen before heading down to his basement. A few seconds later, he locates the slip of paper with Abby's home number scrawled on it. Feeling too much like a high school boy psyching himself up to call a girl for the first time, he stares at Abby's handwriting for a minute or two before actually dialing. In an attempt to calm his nerves, he paces the length of the basement as he counts the number of rings on the other end of the line.

_One…you talk to her everyday, soldier. Two…there's no reason to be nervous. Three…you'll just ask her what she needed. Four…you'll find out that it was probably nothing. Five…are you expecting that she called to ask you out? Six…was that really number six?_

Gibbs hangs up and looks around the basement hurriedly, finally locating his glasses resting on the workbench. Slipping them on, he picks up the paper and dials the number again. Bringing the cell to his ear, he wanders back upstairs.

_I'm pretty sure I dialed the right number. _Gibbs double-checks the number on the piece paper_. Definitely the right number. It was in Abby's writing. Answer the phone, Abby. Pick up, pick up, pick up! You're making me nervous. Ab-i-GAIL!_

Gibbs doesn't know why he is suddenly worried, but he is. Grabbing his keys from their usual spot on the entryway table, he rushes down his driveway and quickly climbs into the car. Tires squeal as the car peels out of the driveway to speed down the street, his fingers flipping the cell phone open to repeat the last dialed number. Twenty rings later he's speeding in an attempt to get to Abby's apartment as quickly as possible. Speed-dialing her cell phone number again on the off chance that she's out, Gibbs almost doesn't notice the woman in the crosswalk. He slams his foot on the brakes as his call goes to voicemail and mutters a curse under his breath.

_Calm down, Jethro! You won't be any good to her if you kill yourself, or someone else for that matter, getting to her. Take it easy and pay attention to the road…but if something's happened to her, I'll never forgive myself._

He observes the speed limit for less than five minutes and soon there's a cacophony of blaring car horns trailing behind him. Gibbs speeds towards Abby's apartment in a near state of panic. He casts a quick glance down at his phone and presses the speed-dial button for what seems like the hundredth time. Getting her voicemail, yet again, he snaps the cell phone shut and all but flings it into the seat next to him.

_Just a few more blocks, Jethro. You'll see she's fine. She'll look at you with a smile on her face and you'll feel like an idiot for panicking. Just you wait..._

Pulling up to her building in a screech of brakes, Gibbs slams the car into park and rushes towards the entrance of the apartment building. Tugging on the door, he almost slams face first into it before he remembers the door is newly enabled with a tenant controlled security access. His eyes squints at the tenant list by the brand-new security box and growls when he doesn't immediately see Abby's name. With a bark of surprised laughter, he presses his finger to the button next to the apartment with the label "4NS CHIK" and waits as the line rings.

After what seems like forever, the line clicks and Abby's voice drifts out to him, _"Abby's House of Pain." _

Gibbs arches an eyebrow before skeptically asking, "Abs?" He tries to calm his nerves, because now that he's heard her voice, he is feeling rather silly for racing over like a bat out of hell.

A second later, her voice answers softly, _"yes, Gibbs…" _The timbre of her voice is deeper than usual and he has to swallow several times before he can answer her.

"First of all, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just answer your phone like that…" He leans in towards the call box, sure he heard her moan in response to his words. "Second of all…" Gibbs glances down at his watch before continuing, "...I've been calling you for the last 15 minutes. Now are you going to make me wait downstairs all night or are you going to buzz me up, Abigail?" There! Gibbs is sure he heard it that time, a small surprised moan. His mouth drops open slightly and he is sure she'll tell him that she is otherwise occupied when the door buzzes to signal he's been allowed access into the apartment building. Shaking himself much like a dog coming in from the rain, Gibbs takes the stairs two at a time. He walks to her door and is about to knock when he hears the deadbolt being unlocked. He has a few precious seconds to school his facial expression before the door opens, so he takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. Not that it matters. No amount of time could have prepared him for the sight that greets him when the door opens.

Abby stands in the open doorway wearing a deep red Japanese robe, her pale skin an amazing contrast to the silk that covers her. Her hair is mussed and if at all possible, it makes her look all the more beautiful. Her lipstick free lips are swollen and her face slightly flushed, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on her neck. His eyes trace over her body; taking in the sight of her breasts under the thin material of her robe. His throat convulses at the sight of her nipples tightening under his scrutiny. A small hand rises into his line of sight and tightens the kimono's neck more securely closed. His gaze shoots to her face when he realizes she's been talking to him for some time. He closes his eyes and shakes himself almost imperceptibly to focus before asking her to repeat the question. "I asked if you were going to actually come in or if you were planning on loitering in my hallway all night."

A sheepish grin lifts his lips as he answers, "I…uh…can go home if you're busy. It's just…I tried to return your call and when you didn't answer, I got a little worried. I convinced myself something happened to you, so I raced over here. Not sure what I was thinking, but here I am. Then you open the door in your robe and I realize that you're probably busy and that's why you didn't answer."

_Shut up, GUNNY! You're babbling. Shut your mouth and back out gracefully. Say goodbye. Turn around and leave before you embarrass yourself further. What in the hell possessed you to speed over here…the need to be her hero?_

"Aww, Gibbs! You rushed to my rescue? You're so sweet!" A huge grin spreads across her face before she envelopes him in a tight hug. Her face presses into his shirt and he has to strain to hear her muffled, _'my hero!'_ Timidly wrapping his arms around her, he felt his heart swell at the words: almost identical to his own thoughts. Throwing caution to the wind, he tightens his arms around her in a true hug. He presses a kiss to her head before settling his cheek against her hair, hands rubbing circles on her back.


	7. Dalliance

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Dalliance**

As much as Abby doesn't want to end the hug, she pulls back slightly to peer up at Gibbs' face. She is surprised to notice that his eyes are softer than normal as he stares down at her with a bemused smile on his face. She interlaces her hands behind his back and smiles up at him, "Gibbs, you really are a big softy. You do know that, right?" A small burst of laughter erupts at the blush creeping across his features. "I knew it! Marines do blush," she teases, knowing full well that it will make his blush deepen. She feels a swell of satisfaction when he proves her right by pulling out of the embrace. Gibbs hangs his head forward as he wanders a few steps away, hands coming up to rub his face.

_He looks so cute when he blushes! That's twice! I've made him blush __**twice**__ in the same day. Look at him, he looks so embarrassed AND he's trying to hide it. He thinks I don't know why he's pacing down the hall. Oh! He's coming back…Ooo he looks so serious._

He stops about a foot away and arches a brow at her. Looking up at him shyly, she fights to keep the shock from her face as he whispers, "If you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you." Abby narrows her eyes at him, trying for a look of mock indignation. Gibbs takes a step closer and Abby curtails the almost overwhelming urge to stick her tongue out at him. Swallowing a gasp, she stiffens as he bends to press a kiss to her cheek, "…and I'd really hate to do that, Abs." Just as a smile is beginning to spread across her face, she feels her mouth drop open when he teasingly continues, "do you realize how long it would take me to train a new lab rat?"

"I can't believe you'd say that to me, Gibbs! It's so mean! It's…so…so…so…I don't know, something Tony would say! Even if you meant it as a joke, how can you joke about that? It's insulting to me as a person and I won't have it! I don't care how close we are…I won't allow you to…" the remaining words die away as Gibbs reaches down to cup her face in his hands.

With a smirk, he leans his face closer and whispers, "Abby…shut up," only seconds before pressing his lips to hers. Before she can kiss him back, Gibbs ends the kiss and backs away, a look of abject horror on his face. "I am so sorry, Abs. That was out of line." She takes a step in his direction, swallowing hard to keep the hurt from her face as he puts up his hands to keep her away. "Please, don't…" he pleads as he starts to pace in a small circle. Grimacing slightly as he struggles to articulate his feelings, Gibbs refuses to meet her eyes, "…I shouldn't have done that." Abby casts a sympathetic glance towards him and presses her lips together to keep from interrupting him, "It was… inexcusable and I'm sorry."

_He kissed me! Gibbs kissed me! He reached out, took my face in his hands and kissed me. Granted, he looks like he regrets it…but that doesn't change the fact that he kissed me! I wonder what brought that on. It couldn't have been just to shut me up, could it? He wouldn't do that, would he? Could he? Of course he could! He's worked undercover and pulled it off without a hitch. But wait…if he did it just to shut you up, then why is he so nervous?_

"Abby, say something…" he pleads, finally meeting her eyes, "…please?" It is so unexpected she gasps. A small breath escapes her as he continues to look at her. Her mind must be frozen, because she can't think of a single thing to say in response to his plea. She wants to make him feel better, but her mind keeps drawing a blank. Reaching her hand out to him, Abby takes a small step towards him, hoping he won't rush off. Satisfied when he doesn't back away, she takes another step and smiles when Gibbs lifts his hand to meet hers. She tightens her grip around his fingers and reaches up to cup his face in her other hand. Her lips press together as he closes his eyes and leans into the touch. "Oh, Abby…" he mumbles, turning his hand to interlace their fingers together, "…I am so sorry."

Putting on her best stern glare, she frowns at him. "Gibbs, don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness," she scolds him lightly, fighting to keep the smile off her face as he completes the thought with her. "A very wise man told me that once, ya know," she whispers conspiratorially. Abby grins, bringing their joined hands up to gently pull him into her apartment. She shuts the door behind them and turns towards him slowly. "Besides…" she rises on tiptoe to speak against his lips, "…do you have any idea how long I've waited for you to do that?" Reveling in the look of utter amazement that appears on his face, Abby disregards every warning bell in her head and shyly presses her lips to his.

_Oh…my…GOD! I'm kissing Gibbs. I'm __**actually**__ kissing Gibbs! Oh my…he's kissing me back?! Oh goodness…he's kissing me back! I was right. He's a __**really**__ good kisser. His lips are sooo soft and he tastes vaguely like coffee. Well, __**of course **__he tastes like coffee! He practically mainlines it, you dummy. Oh dear, I'm going to faint if he does what I think he's going to do…_

Abby presses the front of her body more firmly against his, wanting as much contact as feasibly possible. She shivers when his free hand comes up to cup behind her neck, his tongue probing against her lips. Suppressing a shudder, she feels her knees give out and moans in frustration as Gibbs pulls away with a chuckle. He wraps an arm around her waist when her knees threaten to spill her onto the floor. "I've got you, Abs," he murmurs against her lips before softly taking the bottom one between his teeth. "I won't let you fall," he promises, eyes drifting shut as he presses his lips to the top of her head. Leaning his head down to pick up her muffled words better, he gently asks her, "what did you say, Abs?"

She turns her face against his chest and embarrassingly admits what she'd muttered into his shirt, "I said…'too late'." Her face twists into a scowl as she feels his chest rumble with laughter at her comment. "Don't laugh at me," she grumbles angrily, "it's not nice." She feels him take a deep breath to stop his laughter and she takes that opportunity to peek up at him through her lashes. Abby struggles to control her breathing as she watches Gibbs' face pass through several expressions: amazement, longing, dread and finally, determination. She knows what's coming before he has even said a word and it feels like her world is starting to crumble around her.

_No, please don't say it. Please, Gibbs, not now. I don't think I could take it. You can't do this to me. Please don't. Don't push me away…not when I only just got you. _

"Abby…we can't do this," he murmurs, "I shouldn't have let that happen." He heaves a big sigh as she tries desperately to pull out of his arms. Abby doesn't want to hear what he has to say and her first instinct is to run from the hurt she knows is coming. "Abs. Abby," he tries to soothe her with his voice as her hands beat at his chest feebly, "please listen to me. I need to say thi-"

The rest of Gibbs' sentence is cut off in the echo of a resounding slap across his face. "Get out." Abby's words are barely audible as she struggles to keep her tears in check. He reaches out to her and she backs away, "Get out, Gibbs." She watches his face twist in pain, his cheek already starting to redden. "Get out. Get out, get out. Get. _**OUT**_!" Each syllable is spoken in an increasing volume until she's yelling. Her heart breaks as he drops his hands and silently leaves her apartment. Numbly, she locks the deadbolt and slides along the wall until she is sitting on the floor.

A choked sob drifts through the door and into the hall where Gibbs is standing. Bringing his fingertips to his lips, he closes his eyes. Reaching out with a trembling hand, he presses those same fingertips to the door in silent goodbye. Turning from the door, he walks towards the exit, not bothering to keep the tears from spilling down his cheeks.


	8. Regret

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Regret**

The events of the weekend were hazy. After he'd left Abby's apartment, Gibbs had gone on autopilot. He tried remembering specific details and found that it was like trying to watch a movie reel with missing frames. The only thing that stood out in harsh detail was the look on Abby's face after she'd slapped him. She'd looked so crestfallen and he was the reason for it. The scene kept replaying in his head like a bad surveillance video. He remembered the shock of the slap, her adamant resolve as she'd yelled at him to leave, the look of abject sadness as he'd followed her command, the sound of her sob through the door, but most of all he remembered the crushing pain in his chest as he'd driven home.

_Oh Abby, dear, sweet Abby...will you ever forgive me? I never wanted any of this to happen. If I could take it back that pain, I would. You have no idea how much I regret all of it. _Heaving a deep sigh, Gibbs took a sip from his coffee cup and cast a look around the bullpen. Satisfied that his team was occupied, he returned to his thoughts. _I hate myself for hurting you, for causing you such anguish, but I don't regret kissing you. I could never regret kissing you, never in a million years. The feel of your lips, the touch of your hand, the press of your body as I held you in my arms…_

The ringing phone snapped Gibbs out of his thoughts. "Yea, Gibbs…" he answered; the rest of the team looked up as he listened to the caller. Tony, Ziva and McGee exchanged worried glances as their boss' face broke out into a scowl. They each winced at the sound of Gibbs slamming the phone down with more force than usual. The senior agent stood up and started to make his way through the bullpen; waving a hand to indicate they should remain seated, Gibbs jogged up the stairs leading to MTAC. They last thing they heard before he slipped through the door was Gibbs calling down, "si-i-t…ssss-stay…gooood agents."

As soon as the door was shut, the team began whispering furiously. "Strange. What do you think that was about?" This came from McGee, who had a worried look on his face. Then again, Tim usually looked nervous when it involved anything out of his comfort zone: computers.

Tony waved his hands dismissively and stood up to pace between the desks, "Forget **that** Probie, I want to know what's up with Gibbs today. Did someone switch him to decaf? Are you two completely oblivious to the fact that _El Jefe_ has been more 'Gibbs-ish' than usual?" A short snort of laughter caused Tony to turn and glare at Ziva. "Care to share the joke with us Zee-vah?"

Officer David quirked an eyebrow at her co-worker and graced him with an impatient frown. "Perhaps, it is because we have not found any leads in our case, Tony. Or maybe it is the fact that you have been singing that annoying song all day! If I hear you sing the words 'let him go' one more time I will let **you** go…down the elevator shaft!" With each word, the Mossad Officer had closed the gap between them until she was glaring at him from mere inches away.

"Da-veed," Gibbs barked from the staircase, "Kill DiNozzo on your own time!" The three agents turned toward their boss in surprise; the scowl on his face wasn't gone, if anything, it was worse. His expression was so focused that it wasn't immediately evident if he even heard Ziva's 'y_es, Gibbs.' _The ringing of his cell phone was enough to garner a response, even if it was a less than favorable one. "Not again," he muttered under his breath as he flipped it open and brought it to his ear, "Gibbs." His eyes squinted a bit as he listened, "all right, we'll be right down." Motioning to the rest of the team, he started towards the elevator with a curt, "come on…Abby's got something."

_Don't be nervous. Just go in and ask for the results. If you keep it work related, then you can handle it. You __**need**__ to handle it; the whole team will be there with you. You can't let them know that something is wrong. Just be yourself. Any change and they'll be able to tell. Breathe Jethro, just breathe and everything will be alright. Sure, keep telling yourself that. If you repeat it enough times, maybe you'll buy it._

Abby turned to watch them enter her lab, a somber expression on her face. The first thing he noticed was the silence; she didn't have her usual music blaring through the speakers. Her eyes wouldn't meet his as he came in; they focused on Tony instead. Giving DiNozzo a small smile, she started relaying her results before he'd even had a chance to utter his infamous, "what do you have for me, Abs?" Gibbs had to admit that he was more than a little hurt at her silent snub, but he doggedly ignored it and tried his best to focus on what Abby was saying. If the other agents noted that he didn't rush her like he usually did, they wisely kept the observation to themselves.

Truth be told, he was having trouble focusing on her words. He was too intent on watching her lips move as she talked. The fact that she wasn't wearing her usual dark lipstick didn't escape his notice. If at all possible, she looked paler today than she usually did. Her face was make-up free and the familiar pig-tails were conspicuously absent. The effect of seeing her hair loose around her shoulders was startling and all together mesmerizing. It took a second to realize that every person in the room was staring at him expectantly. He all but shouted a terse, "what?" Gibbs couldn't for the life of him remember what he'd been asked.

"You said Abby's name, boss. We're waiting for you to ask whatever it was you were gonna ask," Tony explained, an expectant look on his face.

Gibbs hurriedly tried to think of something, but finally gave up. Raising a hand, he gestured to Abby that she should continue, "never mind, it's not important." He almost missed the smirk on her lips as she turned back to her computer screen; almost. She knew, dammit. She knew what this was doing to him. She knew he was having trouble keeping his mind on the case; she **knew** and was relishing every minute of it.


	9. Confrontation

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Confrontation**

Abby was glad when five o'clock rolled around on Friday. The week had been exceedingly difficult for her. Showing up for work at the beginning of the week had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. It had actually occurred to her to call in sick, but in the end it had seemed too much like the coward's way out. Luckily, she'd been able to avoid Gibbs for most of the week. The only two times she'd had to see him had been on Monday, and both times the rest of the team had been there as a buffer.

She still couldn't believe that he'd brought the entire team down to her lab with him that morning. _What had he thought? Had he been afraid that I would bring up what happened? Pfttt…like I wanted the team to find out he'd rejected me?! Please! No wonder he's been divorced three times; he's clueless when it comes to women! __**Plus**__…he apparently hasn't learned anything from his mistakes._

Abby snorted slightly, remembering the look on his face when he'd walked into the HR seminar and realized that the only available seat was next to her. _It's not like I did it on purpose. Everyone just assumed that he'd want to sit next to me. I almost laughed out loud when he'd tried to stay by the door and Elizabeth had innocently told him, "Agent Gibbs, there's a seat open next to Ms. Scuito." Oh, but my favorite part was when she __**waited**__ until he reluctantly made his way to the seat!_

Abby felt the giggles bubble up her throat as she rode the elevator to the parking garage. _Is it petty of me to take pleasure from the fact that I know why he avoided my lab all week? Tony, McGee and Ziva must have been going crazy wondering why he kept sending __**them**__ down. Luckily no one was brave enough to ask and honestly, I'm glad. _Abby watched the floor indicator lights and willed them to pass Gibbs' floor. _Come on…come on…YES! _A small rude noise escaped her as she realized what she'd just done. _It's not like I'm avoiding him…I just don't want to see him. _Abby realized her logic was skewed, but she didn't care.

_Just one more floor and I'm home free…ugh…why are you stopping?! _The doors opened to reveal an exhausted-looking Gibbs, speaking to someone on his cell phone in a rather frustrated voice. He stopped talking as soon as he saw her. Abby gave him a small smirk and waved her arm in a 'come on in' gesture. He frowned slightly before taking the few steps needed to join her, seconds before the doors slipped shut.

He muttered, "I'll call you back," as he reached for the emergency stop switch. Turning towards her, he took a deep breath before speaking. "We need to talk, Abigail."

"Really, Gibbs," she sneered sarcastically, "what could we possibly need to talk about?" She glared at him icily, her hands tightening around the strap of her bag.

Throwing his hands up in the air, he all but yelled his response at her, "you know damn well what we have to talk about! You can't keep avoiding me, Ab-"

"ME?! **You're**," her finger jabbed him in the center of his chest; "the one that's been avoiding **me**," she jerked her thumb towards her own chest; "sending Tony or Ziva or McGee down for results **instead**," she held her index finger up for emphasis; "of coming down **yourself**!" The last was practically spit in his face. If looks could kill, he would be laying on a slab down in Ducky's lab.

She was pacing back and forth, working herself up into a fever pitch; that was probably why she almost didn't hear when Gibbs whispered, "You're right, Abs_."_

He took a calming breath and was about to repeat himself when Abby spun around to stare at him, "what did you say?"

At the incredulous tone in her voice, Gibbs opened his eyes and looked at her, "I said, 'you're right'…I have no right to ask you to forgive me, but…" at her snicker of laughter he stopped talking and just stared at her. Watching her face, he knew that he'd lost her. Whatever chance at happiness he'd had, it was gone. The way her lips were pressed together, it was a wonder that she hadn't slapped him again. Knowing that it wouldn't make a difference either way, he said the one thing that he'd been dying to say all week, "I miss you, Abby."

Abby felt her expression immediately soften. She hated herself for it, but she knew that no matter what happened after they left the elevator, she'd forgive him. She could never stay mad at him for very long. _Damn you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I love you. All you have to do is look at me with those painfully-blue eyes and I'm like putty in your hands. _Taking a step towards where he was leaning on the wall, Abby raised her hands to his face and smiled when some of the tension in his shoulders eased. With a small smile, she leaned up towards his lips and murmured, "We're spending the night together." She didn't give him a chance to answer before she turned around to flick the emergency stop switch.

"Can I do something first?" His fingers reached out to flip the switch yet again, stopping the doors from opening any further. At her quizzical look, he reached out and snaked his left arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his chest, effectively pinning her hands between their bodies. Before she had a chance to pull away, his right hand moved to cradle the back of her neck as his lips grazed over hers. At her startled look, he smiled and whispered, "Permission to kiss?" Her eyes flared with desire and she nodded twice. "Thank you," he spoke against her lips before taking her mouth in a passion-filled kiss.

_Oh. My. Goodness! Why am I such a push-over when it comes to him? _It took Abby a few seconds to realize that the moans in the elevator were coming from her. _Because you love him, you fool. He's not the only one that's clueless, Abigail. _She slid her hands up and over his chest until they were around his neck, her fingers drifting up to run through his hair. _You should tell him that, ya know. Regardless of what you think he'll say, he has the right to know the truth. _Abby heard herself make a small whimper of protest when Gibbs pulled back from the kiss.

"We need to get out of here," he murmured against her lips, "don't you agree?" His eyes glittered mischievously as he reached over and flipped the switch that would allow them access to the parking garage. The doors opened the rest of the way and taking her hand in his, he pulled her towards his car. Abby's mind was still reeling from the kiss, so she allowed herself to be led without much protest. Once they were standing next to his vehicle, Gibbs stopped to take her face in his hands. Leaning into her, he softly asked, "Abby…I need you to say something, anything."

Abby raised her eyes to meet his and smiled, "Gibbs, I don't know what to say, I really don't. The only thing I know for sure is this: we're going to **my** place, not yours. We have a lot to talk about and I'll feel more at ease in my own apartment. Okay?" She fully expected him to say no, so she was surprised when he brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek and leaned in to lay a kiss on her forehead.

"You're the boss, Ms. Scuito." At her triumphant smile, he shook his head slightly before teasingly whispering, "Just so you know…if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it." The sound of Abby's laughter was still echoing throughout the parking garage as Gibbs' Charger peeled out of the parking space and down the exit ramp.


	10. Honesty

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

**Beta: **fictiongurl **NOTE:** I went back and fiddled with the chapter a bit after it was beta'd, so all mistakes herein belong to me. :)

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**A/N: **This is, by far, the longest chapter. It was also one of the easiest to write. I have one chapter before this story is finished and I start posting my next one. Don't forget...Reviews = me happy! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 10 - Honesty**

They sat staring at each other from opposite sides of the couch, Abby's last comment hanging in the air between them. '_I can't believe you kissed me.' Yea Gunny, surprised yourself too, didn't you? _They'd spent an hour making small talk and discussing work, neither wanting to be the first to bring up the subject they needed to discuss. Before long, the conversation had dwindled as the 'safe' topics had been exhausted. Gibbs knew he'd be content to just watch her for hours if given the chance, but she'd finally mustered up the courage to break the silence. She looked so innocent with her bare feet tucked under her body and the fingers of her right hand twirling in her loose hair. The silence stretched on for nearly ten minutes and a grin spread across his face as she took a breath to speak again. Now that she'd asked it, he'd known she wouldn't be able to leave the question unanswered for too long. _'How long have you had feelings for me?' _It just wasn't in her nature.

He took a small measure of satisfaction from the fact that he knew her so well. She shifted under his scrutiny and he tried hard not to smile; he loved watching her squirm. "Gibbs, stop staring at me like that. You're making me nervous." She glared at him slightly, her brows furrowing together before continuing, "And you still haven't answered my question! If you think that you're getting away with not answering, you are sorely mistaken." Abby narrowed her eyes at him again, trying to give him her best 'Gibbs Stare'. Watching her try to look intimidating was amusing as hell and Gibbs fought hard not to laugh. He knew full well that his laughter would be greeted by a less than favorable response.

"I'm not avoiding the question Abby, I'm just…" he reached out and took both her hands in his, "…taking my time choosing my words. I don't want to say the wrong thing." He brought her hands up towards his face and gently placed a kiss on each of her palms. At her small sigh, he shifted so he was closer to her body. Gibbs laid his left arm along the back of the couch, allowing his fingers to play with the silken strands of her hair. Her eyelids lowered to half-mast and she smiled at him shyly. He watched as she turned slightly so that she was facing him, fully expecting her to repeat the question. When she didn't, he reached out to run his thumb along her cheek; the unabashedly possessive _my girl_ brought a brilliant smile to her face. It lit up her eyes in a way that made his heart expand; **he'd** made her smile like that, not anyone else. "So I really can't avoid the question," he asked hesitantly, knowing full well what the answer was.

"Gibbs! You just said you **weren't** avoiding the question!" The look of frustration on her face was enough to garner a response from him. He reached up and laid a finger against her soft lips, stopping her before she riled herself up any further. Lowering his arm from the back of the couch, he used it to pull her gently to his chest. She initially struggled, but upon some added pressure, she moved closer. His eyes drifted shut at the feel of her snuggling into his embrace, her hand coming up to fiddle with the buttons of his polo. Allowing himself time to just enjoy the feel of her in his arms, he wrapped his other arm around her and enveloped her in a hug. He could hear the smile in her voice as she whispered, "don't think that I'm going to forget the question Leeee-roy."

Playfully he squeezed his arms around her tighter and growled, "Don't call me that Ab-i-gail." She initially squealed at his tightened embrace and he could feel her struggle to hold in her laughter. Letting her 'suffer' for a bit longer, he finally muttered, "Go ahead...laugh. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself holding it in." Almost immediately, the sound of her giggles filled the room. Gibbs smiled at the sound and leaned down to kiss the top of her head; he was racking his brain trying to remember the last time he'd felt this good. "It's been a while Abby," he finally admitted in a soft voice. The giggles abruptly stopped and she looked up at him with a confused look on her face. Her lips puckered in a frown and he smiled, knowing full well that she actually **had** forgotten her last question. Gibbs seriously considered not reminding her, but in the end his conscience got the better of him. "I said, 'it's been a while' in response to the question you said you **wouldn't** forget," he squeezed her teasingly, for emphasis. "If I'm completely honest with myself, I've had feelings for you for a while. I've just been too stubborn to admit it." Gibbs found that now that he'd spoken the words aloud, he felt significantly more relaxed.

He watched his words sink in and was slightly surprised when her expression turned disbelieving. "Really? You're not just saying that to make me feel special?" He realized that her voice had taken on an extremely shy tone that he wasn't familiar with, especially not with Abby. _Oh Abby…my dear sweet Abby, do you realize how young you sound when you ask me that question? _He tightened his arms around her in reassurance and sighed when he felt her hand slip under the collar of his polo. He smiled as Abby moved closer to rest her head more securely against his chest. Gibbs felt her fingers lightly skate over his collarbone and forced himself to take a shaky breath to keep his mind from straying off topic. His mouth had instantly gone dry at the feel of her fingers on his bare skin and he swallowed reflexively.

Taking a breath to steady his nerves, Gibbs cupped one of his hands on the back of her head. "Abby…" his hoarse reply brought her face up to gaze at him, "I would do any number of things to make you feel special, but I wouldn't lie. You have no idea how long I've wanted you. I've just been too blind to see it." He shifted his hips slightly away from her, hoping to keep Abby from _feeling_ exactly how much he wanted her. She stared at him for a very long time, her face carefully schooled to keep any emotion from showing. His jaw clenched and his eyes immediately focused on her lips as her tongue slipped out to trace along her top lip. **This** look he recognized; **this** was the real Abby, the confident one. Seductively, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and at the look on his face, she moaned softly. It took Gibbs only seconds to realize he was now finding it very difficult to concentrate and that he couldn't take his eyes off her mouth. Cursing softly under his breath he leaned closer to ask, "you little minx…do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

The sound of her throaty laugh told him that she did indeed know what her actions were doing to him. With a grin, she withdrew her hand from his shirt and smoothed it over his chest. With a wicked gleam in her eye, she lowered it to slowly rub it along the zipper of his slacks. "I might have some inkling as to what I'm doing to you…" her voice was like velvet as she proceeded to leisurely shift her hand back and forth over him, "…all you have to do is ask me to stop." _Please don't stop. Good lord, this woman is going to be the death of me._ Gibbs felt himself growing harder under her touch and struggled to keep his breathing even. His eyes drifted shut and he fought to keep from lifting his hips up to meet her hand. Abby tantalizingly licked along his bottom lip, chuckling when the action garnered a groan of pleasure.

Wrapping his fingers around her wrist, Gibbs pulled her hand from his lap and found that he could think a bit clearer. The edges were still hazy, but his thoughts were slowly gaining focus. "I don't want you to stop Abby. That's the problem. If I **don't** stop you, I know where this will end and I don't want to take advantage of you. I'd never forgive myself if you woke up tomorrow and your first reaction was regret. I've waited this long…" he reached down to lightly press his lips against hers. His tongue slipped from his mouth and when she parted her lips to allow him access, he deepened the kiss. He noticed that she was making small mewling noises in her throat as his tongue moved against hers. _How long has it been Gunny? How long has it been that you've kissed a woman like this? How long has it been since you allowed your walls this far down? Too long…it's been entirely too long. _The feel of her breasts pressing on his chest was almost enough to make him change his mind. Instead of giving in to the part of him that wanted to take her, he pulled from the kiss.

Her lips were swollen from his kiss and her eyes were hooded with desire as he breathlessly watched her move to straddle his lap. His hands instinctively circled her waist to steady her and Gibbs knew he hadn't been able to keep the surprise from his face. _You can't deny how much you like looking up into her eyes. Admit how good she feels pressed up against you. Why are you fighting it? Are you afraid of being hurt again? That's it isn't it? You're nothing but a coward. _The sound of her voice brought him out of his thoughts "You are **so** not taking advantage of me Gibbs," she whispered softly, " I want this…us; I've wanted this for a very long time….a **very** long time." Her hands moved to cradle his jaw-line as she lowered to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I've imagined you in my bed for so long that I don't think I can wait for much longer." His hands moved from her small waist down to grip her hips when they started to grind against him. She pulled back from the kiss with a soft frustrated sound and scowled at him as she sat back on her heels. Leaning his head back, he gazed up at her and arched a brow curiously.

"How long Abby?" At the slight tilt of her head, he clarified, "how long have you wanted this?" Gibbs swallowed a groan as she exploited his shift in attention and used it to her advantage by rocking her hips against him. _Is that so? Trying to distract me are you? Two can play this game, you little tease. _Taking his cue from her, he traced his hands up her calves, loving the fact that her eyes drifted shut as he continued up towards her thighs. "How long have you fantasized about me storming into your office with evidence the furthest thing from my mind?" A small whimper escaped from between her lips as his hands stopped just short of cupping her buttocks. "How long have you fantasized about me pressing myself against you as you stand at the computer terminal?" He heard her breath catch and struggled not to notice how her nipples pressed against the cotton of her t-shirt. "Tell me…" he pleaded, his eyes taking in every detail of her face as she struggled to answer, "…please?"

Abby's eyes snapped open at the word 'please' and she leaned down to whisper harshly against his lips, "ever since the case when you went undercover as a recruiter." He struggled to keep the surprise from showing on his face, because that was easily five years ago, probably more. He swallowed and forced his thoughts back to the present as she continued to speak. "After I saw you in the bullpen helping Kate with her uniform, I had to go…" he watched curiously as her eyes shifted away and felt his eyes widen as he noticed the blush that had started to creep up her pale neck, "…you know…" _Oh yes…I know. I wonder, would you admit it to me? _The look of utter embarrassment on her face was the only thing that kept him from teasing her too badly.

"You had to…what, Abby?" _Say it, I want to hear you admit it. _Her glare clearly let him know that she knew he was only **acting** obtuse. "Did you have to sneak away to…give yourself some relief?" _What would you say if I told you that I'd had to do the same thing after seeing you in that Marilyn Monroe costume? The sound of your voice coyly calling me, 'Mr. President' was nearly enough to send me over the edge. And the sight of both DiNozzo and McGee ogling you was infuriating. The need to see your bare shoulders and back was the only thing that kept me from forcing you put on your lab coat. _At her slight nod, he leaned in to whisper softly in her ear, "you're a very bad girl, Abigail…do you know that?" He lightly swatted her backside and groaned when her only answer was to grind against him again. This time, desire overrode sense and he let her. "I never said I didn't like that you were a bad girl…" he said into her hair, "…as long as you're **my** bad girl." He quickly realized that control had shifted as she leaned over him until her cleavage was directly at eye level.

With an impish grin, she bounced up and down in his lap slightly, "I think I can manage that, Leee-roy." He frowned at the use of his first name and was about to open his mouth to say something when she started talking again. "Question is…do you think that you can handle it?" As she spoke, the hands that had been resting on his shoulders had moved to rest lightly upon her thighs. As he watched, she flexed her fingers lightly and moved her hands up towards her waist. Her nails left faint pink marks on her pale thighs as her hands continued to rove over her belly and up her ribcage until they were cupping her breasts. Her tongue was tracing over her lips as her fingertips playfully teased her nipples through the t-shirt. _Do something Gunny, or you won't be able to stop yourself. Distract her, but whatever you do, you better do it quick!_

"Don't call me Leroy, Ab-i-gail," he grumbled sourly. Frowning as he twisted their position so that he was lying over her with his weight supported on his elbows, he jokingly snarled, "You know that I hate it." He noticed the startled look that blossomed rapidly across her features, even when she tried to hide it by turning her face away. _Way to go, Marine. You distracted her all right. Only now she looks like she's afraid that you're mad at her. _Immediately softening his expression, he leaned down to press a kiss on her jaw before softly whispering, "You can call me Jethro. Just please…not Leroy." She cautiously turned her face to look at him and he was instantly suspicious of the smile that appeared. Raising his brows slightly, he apprehensively asked, "What is it Abby?" Gibbs watched her chew on her bottom lip as her face shifted through several expressions, each one too quick to identify. He pressed a gentle kiss on her lips before encouraging her further, "Ask your question Abby."

"Can I call you LJ…" she asked quietly, her eyes refusing to meet his, "…nobody calls you that do they?" He was surprised at the shyness in her voice as she voiced her question. His brow furrowed as he tried to figure it out. _Why had she been afraid to ask that specific question? It makes no sense. _He realized that it had taken a lot of courage for her to actually ask the question. Gazing down at her lovingly, he smiled and nodded slowly. Instead of the joy he fully expected to see, he watched as her face saddened and her eyes once again refused to meet his. _What the hell?_ "Really? It's just that I've never heard anyone call you that before and I thought that…" he startled slightly when she turned to face him suddenly, her eyes widening, "Oh! I'm sorry; I didn't know that Shannon called you that!" _That's why she was afraid to ask! _"If I'd known, I never would have ask-"

Gibbs cut the rest of her sentence off with a chaste kiss. At the surprised look on her face, he chuckled softly under his breath. "I nodded 'yes' to your first question, Abs. You can call me that if you want to. No one has ever called me that." He was glad when a beatific smile appeared on her face. _She just wanted to call you something that no one else does, simple as that. _"Can I ask you a favor though?" At her small nod of consent, he leaned down to ask against her lips, "Only when we're alone ok?" He hated himself for asking her, but he didn't want anyone to know about them yet; he wanted to keep her all to himself for just a little longer. _I need you to be just mine before the team finds out. Please understand…please? If I can avoid Tony's sarcastic comments or Ziva's patronizing gaze for a few weeks that would be wonderful. But more than anything, I'm hoping to put off seeing McGee's hurt expression when he finds out. He may say that he's over you, but I know better. I see it in the way he looks at you. _"It's not that I'm ashamed of you calling me that, I just don't want the others to start aski-"

Her slender finger on his lips stopped his words and she smiled as she looked up at him, "I understand. I feel the same way…I want to enjoy our time together for a while before we have to deal with all the questions." Her smile turned mischievous as she pulled him down for a soft kiss. "Now about me being a bad girl…" The rest of her question was cut off by his lips descending on hers.

**

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A/N: **ONE MORE TO GO!!!!


	11. Resolution

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they remain the property of their respective owners. I'm just borrowing them to play for a little bit. All the stories are done for fun, not profit.

**Rating: M**

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**Beta: **fictiongurl

**NOTE:** I did go back and fiddle with the chapter a teeny bit after it was beta'd, so all mistakes herein belong to me. :)

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**A/N: **LAST CHAPTER!! You guys suffered long and hard over the weekend while I was at work, but you were so patient!! Fair warning, this is the morning after so...**HERE BE SEX!** If you don't like it, don't read. To the rest of you, Enjoy! Please let me know what you guys think of the ending of this story. Reviews = LOVE!!

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**Chapter 11 – Resolution**

The edges of sleep slowly eased away, her mind gradually becoming more aware. With a soft moan Abby wondered why her feet were cold, while she snuggled the rest of her body more securely against the warmth beside her. Her eyes popped open as she felt an arm tighten around her. _ARM?! Whose arm is that? Oh my god! _She risked a glance up and found that she was lying against Gibbs' t-shirt covered chest. Hazarding a glance down, she realized her body was curled around the left side of his body; one of her legs casually thrown over the lower half of his blanket-covered body. _Well that explains why my feet are cold…I'm not wearing my usual socks. _As she watched, one of Gibbs' bare feet emerged from beneath the covers to join her exposed foot. She watched with a smile as his foot slid over hers in an attempt to warm hers, taking care of her, even in his sleep. _Wake up Abigail! What did you do? I didn't do anything...did I? Oh no….why can't I remember? _A small rise of panic was building in her chest as she tried to wake her sleep addled mind. _Wait…I'm fully dressed. I'm fully dressed! We didn't do anything! _Abby sighed in relief but her traitorous mind wouldn't let up. _If you didn't do anything…why is Gibbs asleep in your bed?_

"Someone didn't want me to leave her alone last night." At the sound of his voice, Abby realized the last part of her question had been spoken aloud. She felt her body tense in embarrassment. "Good morning Abs," he spoke against her hair, his body turning to face her, "relax darling I'm just getting comfortable." Once he'd found a suitable position, Gibbs' arms tightened around her in a hug. Her smile returned at his use of the word 'darling'. Abby finally raised her face to his and was surprised to find that his eyes were still closed. As she watched, he stifled a yawn and brought a hand up to rub at his face. "I can feel you watching me Abigail," he murmured seconds before the brilliant blue of his eyes were staring back at her. A look of utter contentment had settled over his features and she found it amazing that she was the one that had put it there. _You did that Abby…you gave him that 'cat that got the cream' look __**and**__ you did it without sex. _"Are you going to say something or are you just going to stare at me all day?"

"I can't do both?" She struggled to keep a straight face as she pouted dramatically, her bottom lip stuck out as far as it would go. Smiling when she received a soft chuckle as a reward for her pitiful playacting, Abby timidly whispered, "Good morning Gibbs…" At his arched eyebrow, she bashfully corrected, "…Jethro." She watched his face as she said, "I like the sound of that." _I can call him by his name now! It's so weird being able to say it without worrying about what he'll do. _Her smile spread as she grew accustomed to speaking his name aloud, "Jeth-ro…Jethhhh-ro," her tongue poking through her lips as she stressed the 'th' in the name. "LJ…" a dreamy look descended upon her face as she murmured her chosen nickname for him, "...LJ, my silver-haired fox." _I __**really**__ like the sound of that. Almost as much as I loved hearing him say 'Abby' in that breathless voice last night. _Abby felt her cheeks redden as she remembered how she'd writhed underneath him as she tried to seduce him.

"Why are you blushing?" She tucked her face in his chest at the question, avoiding it for as long as she could. _I'm ashamed that I acted like a horny little teenager. I can't believe I actually said, 'Fuck me Gibbs…please?' What was I thinking?! _A small groan escaped her as she remembered how his lips had pressed together at the request. _What were you thinking? I'll tell you what you were thinking. You were thinking how good it would feel to have him rip off your panties and fuck you senseless. _"Abby…answer my question…" he repeated softly, his hand coming to rest on the back of her head. _Yea…answer his question Abigail. Tell him why you're blushing. Tell him that you feel like an idiot for trying to seduce him unsuccessfully. _"Abby…Abs…what is it?" She felt her chin being lifted gently, his calloused fingers rough on her soft skin. _You've dawdled long enough Abby, tell him._

"I…" she paused to take a breath, "I'm just remembering what I said to you last night." She felt her features twist in embarrassment and she stubbornly refused to meet his eyes. "I can't believe I said that to you...I'm so embarrassed." Gibbs reached down to cup her face in his hand and she forced herself to meet his eyes. She was taken by surprise as he leaned in to press his lips against her own. The kiss was gentle and full of feeling, his arms pressing her body against his. A soft moan escaped into his mouth and her arms lifted to wrap around his neck. Abby tensed slightly as she felt him press his hips against her, the evidence of his arousal blatantly evident. "Oh, LJ…I don't need a pity f-"

"Shh...Abby…shhh," he soothed softly, "I'm not sure what brought embarrassment on, but rest assured that there's no reason for it." She gave him a weak smile and snuggled more securely into his arms. Tucking the blanket around their bodies, she used the motion as an excuse to slip her hand down over his chest. A small frown settled on Abby's face as her hands met the waistband of his slacks. _What the heck? He slept in his pants? Here I am in my pjs and he's lying here almost fully dressed. _"Yes…Abigail, I'm still wearing my pants. I didn't take advantage of you. Your virtue is safe…" she was slightly startled when his tongue snaked out to flick at her ear, "…for now."

"Gibbs!" she gasped, her hand coming up to wipe at her ear. It took a second to register what he had said. "For now…?" Abby hated the insecure note in her voice as she repeated his last words. At his slow nod, she tilted her head at him and in more confident tone asked what she'd wondered since the night before, "Why did you reject my advances last night?"

"Abby I didn't **reject** your advances; I simply want to wait before we have sex. Call me old fashioned, but we haven't even gone on a real date yet." When she took a breath to answer, he continued, "Your birthday dinners don't count." At her frown, he traced his thumb over her lips and smiled. She felt herself relax in his arms and he used it to his advantage and rolled her onto her back. He looked down at her from where he was leaning over her, his weight carefully supported on his forearms and spoke against her lips, "I want to see you all dolled up, sitting across from me at a restaurant." She watched as his eyes took on a dreamy look, "I want to see your hair off your neck…" his lips pressed against the web tattoo; "…your shoulders bare…" his lips moved to trail kisses down over her shoulder, his fingers moving the camisole's strap out of his way; "…your breasts teasing me from their hiding place in a strapless dress…" his hand came up to cup her breast through the thin material of her camisole.

Her back arched into his touch and she felt a moan escape her, "Giiiiiiiiibs…" she whimpered as his hand moved to slide the material lower, his lips pursing to blow softly against the puckering skin. The feel of his calloused thumb and index finger teasingly tweaking her nipple was breathtaking; Abby didn't know how much more of this she could take. She felt her breath leave her in a gasp as he squeezed her breast suddenly, only seconds before his mouth closed over the rosy peak. After being denied for so long, the pleasure was almost too much for Abby to bear. Gibbs pulled back from her breast suddenly and lifted the camisole back into place. The action was a shock to her senses and it wrung a whimper from her throat. At her sound of protest he pulled the blanket back to expose the rest of her body. Her passion drugged eyes watched as he took in the rest of her, the fingertips of his right hand ghosting along the waistband of her bottoms. "Why…" the question was almost inaudible as she fought to keep still under his examination, "…why'd you stop?"

Gibbs' eyes didn't cease their inspection as his hand slipped slightly under the elastic of her shorts. "I figured you wouldn't mind..." he finally lifted his eyes to hers and she was surprised to see that they'd darkened to an almost sapphire blue, "...if I explored other areas." Abby found it very difficult to concentrate on his words while his hand continued its descent. "Was I wrong..." he paused with a smirk, "...in my assessment?" Abby could swear she felt her brain short circuit as his fingers reached their intended destination. She felt her eyes drift shut as he leaned to whisper in her ear, "Was I wrong?" When she didn't immediately answer, he nuzzled her neck and spoke again, "Abby, if you don't answer, I'm going to assume you want me to stop."

At his words her eyes flew open. "NO! Please don't stop," she pleaded, her hands wrapping around his wrist to hold it in place.

"I was just making sure…" he murmured against her neck as his fingers teased her through the material of her panties, "…wouldn't want you think that I was taking advantage." Gibbs' fingers trailed over her inner thigh and Abby spread her legs subconsciously. When his fingertips reached the elastic edge and slowly eased it aside, she felt her mouth fall open slightly. Abby heard the smile in his voice as he teasingly asked, "I'm assuming you're okay with me exploring further?" The only response she had enough mental stability to provide was several quick nods and a small whimpered 'yes'. Abby bit her lip to keep from moaning aloud as his index finger trailed over her lightly. His lips moved closer to her ear and whispered, "you're so wet…"

"I can't help it," she whimpered breathlessly, "I've waited so long…" The rest of whatever she was going to say was forgotten as he suddenly slid two fingers into her tight warmth. He took her sigh as an assent and eased his fingers in and out slowly, taking her earlobe in her mouth. Abby felt her hips writhe against his hand and her fingers tightened around his wrist. A small smile played on her lips as he followed her lead and increased the speed of his fingers, his thumb sliding to press against the nub of highly sensitized skin begging for attention.

She felt him pull back slightly at the sound of her involuntary giggle, "what's so funny, Sweetness?" Abby found it difficult to concentrate on forming coherent words when his fingers didn't stop their ministrations; all she could do was shake her head slightly and mouth 'nothing'. "If you say so…" he pressed a small kiss to the corner of her mouth, "…feel free to make noise Abby." Turning her head slightly to gaze into his eyes, she felt herself blush slightly. "You never need to be shy around me, Abby. Never again, okay?" Blinking several times to keep away the tears his words had caused, she found the presence of mind to nod. She had a split second to catch her breath before he smirked wickedly and mischievously added, "Now where were we?" She felt his fingers increase their speed and gasped audibly, "that about right, Abs?"

"Mmm…hmm…" Abby snaked her tongue out to lick at her dry lips slowly, her eyes glazing over, "…that's perfect," she whispered. Her moans increased as Gibbs used his teeth to ease the strap of her camisole off her shoulder. The feel of the silk sliding across her over sensitized nipples was enough to wring a whimper from her lips. She swallowed nervously, knowing exactly what he was going to do and she wasn't disappointed when his mouth closed upon her nipple. Abby squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her walls tightening around his fingers; the whimpers morphing into soft moans as she neared her release.

Gibbs pulled back from her breast to watch her body undulate beneath him. "You can let go, Abs..." at his soft insistence, Abby clamped her thighs together, "…you can come, sweetheart. You don't need my permission." What started as a fine trembling in her thighs was now a series of full-on tremors as the orgasm loomed ever closer. "You'll never need my permission…" he whispered tenderly. Gibbs moved to kiss her and murmured, "…come for me baby," on her lips before taking them in a possessive kiss. The last coherent thought Abby had before her world exploded in a myriad of colors was lost in the sound of her hoarse exclamation of pleasure.

It was several minutes before she could think clearly and several more before she was able to move. He was lying beside her, his head cupped in his left hand. Her hands started to wrap around his right wrist in an effort to bring it to her chest, but she stopped at the sound of Gibbs' small hiss of pain. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. "What's the matter?" she asked him softly. Abby watched as he withdrew his hand from where it had been tracing lazy circles on her flat stomach and felt her eyes widen when she saw the crescent shaped wounds on the skin of his wrist. She watched in horror as they slowly began to fill with blood, "Oh honey, I'm so sorry!"

Abby didn't overlook how his eyes softened at her use of the word 'honey' before his lips lifted in a delectable smile, "it's ok Abby. I take it as a compliment." She found that she couldn't hold back her giggle at the look of self assurance on his face. Within seconds, the self confident Gibbs was replaced by an unsure one as he quietly asked, "say it again?" Forcing her eyebrows to not frown at his question, she took a breath to ask what he wanted to hear when he beat her to it, "call me 'honey' again?"

Fighting to keep from crushing him in a hug, she obliged his request while turning to lie facing him, "honey." Her hand came up to cup his cheek and she repeated it, "honey." Smiling as his eyes drifted shut at the sound, she said it again, "honey," she felt him press his face further into her hand as a lazy smile began to spread across his face. "I never would have thought you would like that word so much Jethro." The gentle tone of her voice belied the seriousness of the question.

"Only when you say it…" he chuckled, "you could call me bastard and I would probably enjoy it, if only to hear you say it with as much emotion as you just used. One word, with such a wealth of feeling behind it, means a lot."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked to clear them, "oh honey…" Abby took his mouth in a warm kiss, trying to convey just how much feeling was behind that one word. He opened his mouth to her tongue, his hands curving along her ribs until they were pressed against her back, pulling her to towards his body gently. Her free hand moved to cup the back of his head to her and she deepened the kiss.

Pulling away reluctantly, they both watched each other struggle to catch their breath. Gibbs smiled at her, still slightly out of breath. It was rare to see his expression as unguarded as it was in that very moment and she was exhilarated that he'd allowed her to glimpse the man behind the façade. "No one's ever been able to put as much meaning into a single word as you just did," he confessed in a muted tone.

Abby leaned in for another kiss and assured him, "then I have a lot of wasted time to make up for…don't you think?" She moved forward to take his lips in another kiss and almost missed the subtle 'yes' that he whispered, almost.

The End

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**A/N:** Just a teaser...this story is the beginning of a series. Stay tuned for more later this week! Hugs, Anna


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